Blazed Ridge mountain goat

[jackelope]

So why is it that there are no mountain goat special permit hunts available yet the raffle hunter can hunt there?
I was under the impression that there had to be more than 1 permit available in order for the raffle guy to be able to hunt a specific unit?
Anyone know what's up with that?
@norsepeak 

@shanevg

[Naches Sportsman]

There should be a permit issued IMO. Tons of goats in the blazed ridge unit.

[bugs n bones]

Lots of goats there, just like the 460 unit if you know where to look... It's all about the money...what a joke

[MerriamMagician]

Agreed. There is a huge amount of goats in that unit. They could easily give out 4-5 tags a year for that unit. Instead there hasn't been a tag available in what, 3 years now? Ridiculous 

[jackelope]

@Bushcraft
Any insight into this from SCI or the RMGA org?

[Jpmiller]

I was super disappointed when they took away the tag. Maybe this is a sign they are offering it again? Perhaps soon?

And I would agree with the population numbers being ok to hunt. I have not seen any decline in my experience. I'm not scientist though.

[Bob33]

The last season a Blazed Ridge goat permit was available was 2014.

[coachcw]

see more goats than elk there . the tribal permit covers it though .

[Tbar]

The last season a Blazed Ridge goat permit was available was 2014.

The deviation happened last year and it went from any unit with two tags to unit's opened by the commission, which included blazed.

[Tbar]

This deviation really calls to question the ethics of the department and more specifically the person in charge of the OIL program.  It is not only is a deviation from the framework,  it is stolen opportunities  (chowder also)  from the rank and file hunters.  With the limited number of tags available and the likelihood of actually drawing it's a sad state of affairs that political pressure would allow stolen opportunities.  I'm all for species specific conservation but this takes it to a whole new level. You are allowing a special interest to control up to 30%, possibly more,  of available harvest  (blazed and chowder+ all other opened).

[Bob33]

1969.

[Tbar]

1969.

If only they had realized reproduction rates were not the same as deer we may not be in this situation.

[tonymoe]

900? 900 tags???
Wow!

[Rainier10]

This deviation really calls to question the ethics of the department and more specifically the person in charge of the OIL program.  It not only is a deviation from the framework,  it is stolen opportunities  (chowder also)  from the rank and file hunters.  With the limited number of tags available and the likelihood of actually drawing it's a sad state of affairs that political pressure would allow stolen opportunities.  I'm all for species specific conservation but this takes it to a whole new level. You are allowing a special interest to control possibly 30%, possibly more,  of available harvest  (blazed and chowder+ all other opened).

  That about sums it up.

[Bushcraft]

@Bushcraft
Any insight into this from SCI or the RMGA org?

I'd have to compare and contrast this year's regs against last year, but I seem to recall Blazed Ridge being an option for the raffle tag holder. I'd have to talk with Rich to learn why there isn't a special permit tag for that area.  If I had to guess I suspect it's because they want to spread out the potential impact that the Governor and Raffle tags might have on existing special permit areas.  For example, if there are two tags in a special permit drawing area AND there was a strong interest in the G Tag and Raffle Tag holders to also hunt that area (think Mt. Baker), it stands to reason that potentially four mature billies would be taken out of a given population thereby creating a management dilemma in the following year.

Personally, I think the Governor's and Raffle tags ought to be statewide.  Doing so would take the hunting pressure off of the special permit areas and allow the tag holders to try and harvest older dominant billies in otherwise non-hunted populations.  Those old goats are literally just going to continue propagating inbreeding issues before they die from old age or take a fatal tumble. The former is piss-poor management, the latter is an unfortunate waste.  If I had either tag and the opportunity to do so legally, I wouldn't focus my time and energy on any of the established areas.  Just sayin'. 

Planning is underway with WDFW/RMGA/SCI to do a count/observation in the Alpine Lakes this summer, likely during the July 15-16 weekend.  Stay tuned for details!